The present invention relates to a developing apparatus for visualizing with dry developer (toner) a latent image, such as an electrostatic latent image and a magnetic latent image, formed on a latent image bearing surface, such as a photosensitive member, a dielectric member or a magnetic member, using a known principle or process, such as electrophotography, electrostatic recording or magnetic recording.
Conventionally, various types of apparatus have been proposed and put into practice as to a dry type one-component developer apparatus. However, in any of those types, it has been very difficult to form a thin layer of one-component dry developer, so that a relatively thick layer of the developer is used. On the other hand, the recent demand for the improved sharpness, resolution or other qualities has necessitated the achievement of the system for forming a thin layer of one-component dry developer.
A method of forming a thin layer of one-component dry developer has been proposed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,386,577 and 4,387,664, and this has been put into practice. However, this is the formation of a thin layer of a magnetic developer, not of a non-magnetic developer. The particles of a magnetic developer must each contain a magnetic material to gain a magnetic nature. This is disadvantageous since it results in poor image fixing when the developed image is fixed on a transfer material, also in poor reproducibility of color (because of the magnetic material, which is usually black, contained in the developer particle).
Therefore, there has been proposed a method wherein the developer is applied by cylindrical soft brush made of, for example, beaver fur, or a method wherein the developer is applied by a doctor blade to a developer roller having a textile surface, such as a velvet, as to a formation of non-magnetic developer thin layer.
In the case where the textile brush is used with a resilient material blade, it would be possible to regulate the amount of the developer applied, but the applied toner layer is not uniform in thickness. Moreover, the blade only rubs the brush so that the developer particles are not electrically charged, resulting in foggy images.
The magnetic developer can be relatively easily controlled by a magnetic force, because of its magnetic nature influenced by the magnetic force, but the non-magnetic developer can not be controlled by a magnetic force, because it is not influenced by the magnetic force. For this reason, the non-magnetic developer is easily scattered inside the apparatus. This disadvantage can occur, not only during the copying operation, but also during the handling or transportation of the apparatus which may result in a vibration or shock.